Physicians searching for common ground
Investigators will take an intensive look at how clinical care is provided to patients as they near death as part of a joint project of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and the American College of Physicians (ACP). Both organizations are located in Philadelphia.
Called Finding Common Ground, the yearlong project will review and revise existing medical and ethical policies on death and dying. Additionally, investigators will assist in designing and implementing projects intended to educate physicians about end-of-life care, to better explain treatment options to patients, and to enhance overall communications with patients and their families.
"This panel has the serious responsibility of developing both clinical and policy recommendations for end-of-life care in the 21st century," says Lois Snyder, JD, counsel for ethics and legal affairs for the ACP. Snyder also serves as project director. "Patients and their families need to feel confident that physicians will provide sensitive, consistent, quality care throughout their lives, especially as death approaches," Snyder says. "A good death can be achieved without assisted suicide."
The project began last July and will continue into the summer of 1998. A national conference will mark the conclusion of the project, and the findings and recommendations will be presented.
[Editor’s note: For questions about the Finding Common Ground project, contact the Center for Bioethics, 3401 Market St., Suite 320, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308. Telephone: (215) 898-7136. Fax: (215) 573-3036. World Wide Web: http:\ \ www.med. upenn.edu\ ~bioethic.]
• Can Past Lessons Guide Research in the Future? Dec. 7, Sheraton Hotel, Boston. Annual meeting of the Applied Research Ethics National Association (ARENA). Sponsored by ARENA. Contact: ARENA, 132 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116. Telephone: (617) 423-4112. Fax: (617) 423-1185. E-mail: [email protected]. World Wide Web: http://www.aamc.org/research/primr.
• Ethical Research in an Ethical Society, Dec. 8, Sheraton Hotel, Boston. Held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Applied Research Ethics National Association (ARENA). Sponsored by Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research. Contact: ARENA, 132 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116. Telephone: (617) 423-4112. Fax: (617) 423-1185. E-mail: [email protected]. World Wide Web: http://www.aamc.org/research/prmr.
• Seventh Annual Meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE). Feb. 26-28, 1998, Dallas. Sponsored by APPE, 410 N. Park Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405. Telephone: (812) 855-6450. Fax: (812) 855-3315. E-mail: [email protected]. World Wide Web: http://php.ucs.indiana.edu/~appe/home.html.
• 20th Anniversary Conference. March 13-14, 1998, Greenville, NC. Sponsored by the Depart-ment of Medical Humanities, East Carolina Uni-versity, in conjunction with the spring meeting of the Society for Health and Human Values. Contact: Program Committee, Department of Medical Humanities, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Brody 2S-17, Greenville, NC 27858.
• Whose Ethics? Which Medicine? The Tacit and Explicit Development of a Medical Ethic. April 17-18, 1998, Youngstown, OH. Sponsored by Youngstown State University and the Annual Spring Regional Meeting of the Society for Health and Human Values. Contact: Jody Chidester, Center for Medical Ethics, 3708 Fifth Ave., Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
• 23rd National Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Symposium. July 9-12, 1998, Keystone Resort, Keystone, CO. Sponsored by University of Colorado School of Nursing. Contact: Nurse Pract-itioner Symposium Office, University of Colorado School of Nursing, 4200 E. Ninth Ave., Box C287, Denver, CO 80262. Telephone: (303) 315-7436. Fax: (303) 315-3785. E-mail: [email protected].
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